Are there biblical examples of depression and how to deal with it

Job Book of Job. King Saul I Samuel , etc. Jeremiah Book of Jeremiah. And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well , will not your be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven , Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. David's humble praye r for forgiveness an example for us all. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. Paul clearly gives a message of joy being available to him and to his brothers, even in the midst of great personal struggle and sorrow.

Even the Lord Jesus Christ, when He was in the garden facing crucifixion and preparing to take on Himself the sin of the whole world, was in a difficult emotional state. No other man had ever faced such an ordeal. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Messiah would be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isaiah It might not be accurate to call this clinical depression, but it definitely was mental anguish of a severity that no other man had ever experienced.

Of course, Jesus was there to do the will of the Father, which for Him took preeminence over His emotional state. Even if Christ was not depressed in the garden, there is insight into understanding the humanity of Jesus Christ. God has come in the flesh John 1.

The incarnation is the greatest miracle. Fully God, but also fully man. I believe this is incorrect. This means that Christ knows the frailties and weakness of our flesh, because He has experienced the human condition.

Christ was tested in His flesh, but never sinned. We also know Christ conquered the flesh. When Christ died upon the cross, fully man and fully God, He took all the sin and the sickness even depression upon Himself and became cursed for our sakes Galatians I believe Jesus, being touched with the feeling of our infirmities, knows what it is like to be discouraged and overwhelmed by emotions. How could He not know? There is comfort in this truth. The risen Savior now sits at the right hand of the Father and intercedes for us.

This is our faith, which is the victory! Clearly, Bible heroes suffered with depression. Jesus understands what we go through. Still, it is difficult to understand why God allows us to go through such troubles. Many Christians, especially those who suffer with depression, have asked this question. There are not simple answers. However, the Bible does give some wisdom in the first chapter of 2 Corinthians.

These verses give some insight to this question and perhaps some comfort to those who suffer with depression. Paul also says that others are comforted through our sufferings. God comforts us and we in turn comfort others. When I tell a client that I have had depression, there is often an instant rapport with that client because I know what it is like to be depressed.

I have found this fact alone often brings them some comfort. Here are some practical strategies for helping others who are facing depression. However, never assume there are no medical issues that need attention. Describe the experience.

Ask people to describe their experience of depression in vivid detail. People are different, so depression comes in many shapes and sizes. Identify the causes. Depression often is not just something we have, it is something we do. Invite people to examine their own hearts with this question: If your depression could speak, what would it say? What does it say about you? To others? To God? Depression is an active experience and can result from many sources other than the physiological: guilt due to unconfessed sin, false guilt, misplaced shame, ungodly fears, suppressed bitterness or hatred, hopeless grieving , and unbiblical expectations.

Read and observe Scripture. Ask people with whom you work to study Psalms How does the psalmist address God? What does he preach to himself? Act on the truth. Those who seek help first must accept the challenge of faithful obedience, even though they do not feel like it and are skeptical that anything will make a difference, it's important to have faith. Also, explain to them that progress out of the pit is step-by-step, bit-by-bit. Small, practical, consistent faith-based change occurs in the details.

Look at lifestyle. Evaluate and provide recommendations for lifestyle problems, such as overworking, lack of exercise, sleep difficulties, procrastination, unresolved stressors, absence of spiritual disciplines. Get to work.

Assign active loving tasks performed for the benefit of others. Sadly, some Christians can be very judgmental about mental illness, but that is not a biblical response.

Mental illness is not something you should be made to feel ashamed of or fear sharing with your church community. Jesus made it clear He was not pleased with people who put on a show of being very religious and moral and who judged others. A group of religious leaders called the Pharisees were the epitome of religious people who act like they have it all together and judge others who do not.

Jesus often called the Pharisees out for their hypocrisy. In contrast, Jesus was gentle and kind with people who were struggling and even sinning but who were open to God changing their lives. The Christian community should never be a place where people feel they need to hide and cover up what they are really going through.

In a genuine Christian community, people can share all of their struggles and ask for prayer without fear of shame or judgment. They can testify about how God is working through whatever is happening in their lives. Depression and mental illness should receive as kind and gentle a response from Christians, as they do from Jesus. Reality: You cannot always tell that someone is depressed from how they look or act.

Many people with depression are so skilled at hiding their condition that you would never know from the outside. You can wish you no longer existed but look fine to the people around you. This is especially true for someone struggling with bipolar disorder, which includes high moods, called manic episodes, alternating with deep, severe depression.

Both were very outgoing and fun to be around much of the time. I remember meeting so many people at their funerals who were stunned and confused. Reality: When people share their mental health concerns, those should be respected and kept in confidence.

Whether you think you are having a serious conversation about a real issue or you are just sharing gossip, using specific examples from the life of a person you know is a breach of their trust.

Prayers and prayer requests for others should be respectful, not thinly veiled opportunities for gossip or judgment. Depression is misunderstood by many, and it often carries a stigma. Finding healing is not easy, and it takes time. No one has all the answers. But these are some helpful things to remember if you are a Christian walking through depression or if you know someone who is.

The ultimate friend we find in our pain is Jesus Himself. He wept for us. And on the cross, He experienced separation from God in its fullness. Our Savior knows what it means to suffer darkness.

The Holy Spirit is the presence of God Himself, living and active in the life of everyone who trusts in Jesus. When Jesus was about to be arrested and crucified, He sensed the distress among His closest followers. He knew the crisis they were about to go through. His solution was to reveal to them that their very reality as individual humans was about to be transformed in an unprecedented way.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from Me what He will make known to you.

Jesus promised His followers the gift of the Holy Spirit— God within them— as His way of providing peace and guidance to them every day of their lives. If you have placed your trust in Jesus, that same Spirit lives within you. God literally could not be closer to you in whatever you are experiencing. It hurts too much. But within the pages of the Bible, I find friends who help me get through these times because of their honest expression of their feelings in dark moments.

Jeremiah , NLT. Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies? The Bible provides many examples of people experiencing depression, darkness and frustration with God. He is not angered by your honest words.

God wants your relationship with Him to be authentic. His mercy reigns even in your brokenness. I Mary did not usually trust God, make a gratitude list or even recite prayers and Scripture during my darkest moments.

My shield of faith often lay next to me on the ground, unused. I wish I had done those things. But in my not doing them, God taught me the most valuable lesson of my life: His love for me is solely dependent on His character, grace and goodness.

God can handle your doubts, frustrations, failures and darkest moments because He is astoundingly gracious. Empathy is powerful. It enables us to comfort others and know how to pray for them. As I was healing from a season of deep depression and anxiety, I got to sit next to a young woman who was in the thick of it. I listened. I offered my story. I put my arm around this woman and prayed for the things I had needed just a few months before.

Hope means the most when it comes, stumbling, out of the dark places. I Elizabeth remember, during one of my lowest times, having an overwhelming feeling that nothing would ever be good again. Rationally, I knew that probably was not true, but my emotions and anxious thoughts were screaming that there was no hope.

Depression plays tricks with your thoughts and emotions. The good news is that your relationship with God depends upon His unchanging faithfulness and not on your changeable emotions. Counter the lies running through your head with the truth in the Bible.

I will never abandon you. Romans , NLT. If you are at the point where going anywhere or even just getting out of bed seems impossible, ask a trusted friend to come by and spend time with you.

Give that person a key if you are at the point where you cannot get out of bed. If you do not feel like talking, watch a movie together or listen to music. Avoid emotionally draining movies and music that will feed your negative thoughts. If you are able, go to places where you can receive support and encouragement, like a church small group or a family gathering.